SHFT Behavioral Health is the first urgent care clinic in Chicago for young people in mental health crises — specializing in children as young as 10 and adults up to the age of 30.

The newly opened clinic is seeking to solve the problem of a lack of access to mental health care that is available on the spot, without having to wait for appointments.

"We are here for people to walk in or to call when they are in need of help in a time of crisis. You know, crisis could look like a lot of different things, and we're here to support people." said SHFT cofounder and clinical director Holley Brandchaft-White.

SHFT emphasized its warm, welcoming setting that feels "calm and human," rather than "clinical and chaotic." Visitors can also see a professional without a waitlist or a long intake process.

"We offer everything from crisis assessment, so giving folks an alternative to the emergency department, all the way through routine care, routine therapy, medication management," said SHFT cofounder ad chief operating officer Genia Yovankin, "and also what we're calling onetime chats — so if you want to come in and talk to a licensed professional without any commitment, just to troubleshoot, get support, feel heard, whatever you need, we're offering those as well — 30- and 60-minute sessions."

Brandchaft-White said she spent about 10 years working in emergency departments, and it was clear from that experience that too often, those in need of immediate mental health care have to resort to emergency rooms.

"About 70% of individuals who go to the emergency department for mental health visits ultimately are discharged to a lower level of care — outpatient therapy, often," said Brandchaft-White. "So we saw this need to bridge the gap where there has to be an additional supportive space for people to walk in and get help as soon as they need it."

SHFT specializes in care for both young people and families.

"We say ages 10 to 30, so preteens, teens, college grads, young adults, and also families," said Yovankin. "So we're here to support parents as well. If you have a child — whatever age they are — and you need some support, we are here for you as well."

Both Yovankin and Brandchaft-White have a background in working with young people. Brandchaft-White, a licensed clinical social worker, has spent more than a decade working with young people, adults, and families from every walk of life. Yovankin previously cofounded the Greywood Health Center, an intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization program for teens and young adults in Chicago.

"We're both very passionate about this age group," Yovankin said. "We just think that there's so much opportunity to impact the trajectory of somebody's life as you kind of go from childhood to adolescence to young adulthood, a lot of changes are happening, and we just want to support that demographic."

SHFT operates on a direct-pay model, which the clinic said keeps costs predictable and ensures that patients aren't stuck filling out time-consuming paperwork. The clinic said it provides superbills so families can reimbursement from insurance.

SHFT opened on Monday at 730 N. Franklin St., Suite 510, in Chicago's River North district. More information is available at the SHFT website, or by calling 312-757-1001.